Vermont Brewers Festival 2026: 30th Annual Visitor's Guide
The Vermont Brewers Festival 2026 is the longest-running state-level beer festival in New England. Held annually at Burlington's Waterfront Park since the mid-1990s, the 2026 edition marks 30 consecutive years — a milestone that puts it ahead of every other regional beer festival in the country in terms of continuous runs.
This is a sister post to our New England Breweries 2026 pillar guide and the Vermont Breweries 2026 cluster.
What is the Vermont Brewers Festival?
The festival is run by the Vermont Brewers Association (VBA), the trade group representing Vermont's craft breweries. The VBA was formed in 1995, and the festival launched shortly after. Over the decades it has grown from a small downtown gathering to one of the largest beer festivals in New England — by participating brewery count, ticket sales, and reputation.
What makes it distinctive:
- Vermont breweries only. Unlike many regional fests that draw from neighboring states, VBF is exclusively Vermont breweries. Visitors come specifically to taste what's brewing in-state.
- Waterfront Park venue. Lake Champlain in the background, downtown Burlington steps away. One of the most photogenic festival venues in the region.
- Two-session day. Most editions split the day into an afternoon session and an evening session, both with VIP early-entry options.
- Festival-only releases. Many participating breweries pour something exclusive — a one-off collaboration, a limited barrel-aged release, or a new style they're testing.
VBF 2026 logistics
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026. Venue: Burlington Waterfront Park, Burlington, VT. Capacity: ~12,000–15,000 across both sessions in recent years. Tickets: Sold via the official Vermont Brewers Association site (typically released several months ahead). VBF tickets routinely sell out in advance — buy early.
For 2026 ticket links and the latest details, see the Vermont Brewers Festival 2026 event page.
Vermont breweries that typically pour at VBF
The exact lineup is announced each year, but the festival reliably draws all of the state's flagship breweries. Among the names you'll typically see pouring:
- The Alchemist — Stowe (Heady Topper, Focal Banger)
- Hill Farmstead Brewery — Greensboro Bend
- Lawson's Finest Liquids — Waitsfield (Sip of Sunshine)
- Foley Brothers Brewing — Brandon
- Zero Gravity Craft Brewery — Burlington (Conservation Lager)
- Foam Brewers — Burlington
- von Trapp Brewing — Stowe
- Long Trail Brewing Co. — Bridgewater Corners
- Switchback Brewing Co. — Burlington
- Burlington Beer Company — Burlington
- Queen City Brewery — Burlington
- Frost Beer Works — Hinesburg
- Stone Corral Brewery — Richmond
- Vermont Pub and Brewery — Burlington
- House of Fermentology — Burlington
- Idletyme — Stowe
- Rock Art Brewery — Morrisville
- 14th Star Brewing — St Albans
Out-of-state visitors specifically come to VBF to taste rare-distribution brands like Hill Farmstead and The Alchemist in their home environment.
Building a VBF weekend
Most attendees come from out of state. A typical 3-day VBF weekend:
Friday: arrive in Burlington
- Check into lodging in downtown Burlington or Winooski
- Friday night: walk the Old North End / Pine Street brewery row. Hit one or two of Foam Brewers (waterfront views), Zero Gravity Craft Brewery, or House of Fermentology. Don't blow your palate before Saturday.
Saturday: festival day
- Light brunch downtown
- Walk to Waterfront Park (the festival is walkable from any downtown lodging)
- Plan for the full session — typical session length is 4–5 hours
- Eat at the festival food vendors during the session
- Saturday night: low-key dinner. You will not want a brewery crawl.
Sunday: brewery tour
This is where the real Vermont beer pilgrimage happens. The two most common Sunday routes:
Route A: Stowe / Mad River Valley loop (full day)
- Drive Route 100 south
- Stop at The Alchemist in Stowe (no taproom seating; growler/can sales)
- Continue to Lawson's Finest Liquids in Waitsfield (full taproom + food)
- Back through Idletyme or von Trapp Brewing in Stowe
Route B: Northeast Kingdom destination (long day, lots of driving)
- Drive 1.5 hours east to Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend
- This is a full-day commitment — Hill Farmstead is rural by Vermont standards
- Many visitors combine with stops at Rock Art Brewery in Morrisville on the drive
Either route works for a Sunday-only dedicated brewery day.
Other 2026 Vermont beer events
If you can't make VBF, the Vermont beer year offers other touchpoints:
- Vermont Craft Brewers Conference — DoubleTree by Hilton, Burlington VT, November. Industry-side, but typically has public-facing sessions.
For broader Vermont event context outside the brewery world:
- Craft Fairs in Vermont 2026
- Burlington South End Art Hop 2026
- Stowe Foliage Arts Festival 2026
- Quechee Hot Air Balloon & Craft Festival 2026
FAQ
When is Vermont Brewers Festival 2026? Saturday, July 18, 2026. The festival is typically held the third Saturday of July.
Where is it held? Burlington Waterfront Park in Burlington, VT.
How many breweries pour at VBF? Typically 40–50 Vermont breweries across the day's two sessions in recent editions. The 30th annual is expected to be one of the larger lineups.
Is the Vermont Brewers Festival sold out every year? The afternoon session and VIP-tier tickets routinely sell out months in advance. The evening session sometimes has tickets available closer to date. Buy early.
Can I get to the festival without a car? Yes — Burlington has Amtrak service (Vermonter line from Washington DC / NYC), Greyhound, and short-haul flights into BTV. Once in Burlington, the Waterfront Park is a 10-minute walk from any downtown hotel. Driving in for the festival itself is not recommended; parking is tight.
What about kids? The festival is 21+ on the festival grounds. Burlington has plenty of family-friendly options for non-festival hours — the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is across the bike path from the festival site.
How does VBF compare to Cape Cod Brew Fest or the NH Beer Trail Festival? VBF is the largest by participating brewery count in New England and the longest-running. Cape Cod Brew Fest has a more tourism-destination vibe. The NH Beer Trail Festival is more intimate (smaller venue at Tuckerman Brewing) but has the Mt. Washington setting in its favor.
